Why am I getting so flipped out??

 I know I am obsessive about reading posts and "getting prepared" and now that I have a surgery date - I am actually getting a bit freaked out.  I did NOT think this would happen.  I am ready for the major changes, the adjustments to my life and all of that but just now at this moment (as I am drinking my third glass of sauvignon blanc)  I am getting just the teensy-est bit WIGGED OUT.  

I have a six year old (I am 46) and I am curious if any of you wrote letters to your kids or loved ones before surgery?  I honestly do not think anything is going to go wrong and have given it up to my "higher power" that I will get through the surgery without a hitch BUT am feeling conflicted with the choice of writing a note to my lovely daughter 'just in case.'

Any words from  post-ops would be greatly appreciated.

Mahalo,

Lulu

The mortality rate is something like .1%

How about writing your daughter a letter telling her how her mommy is making a huge choice to change her life bith for herself and the daughter?

Freaking out is normal! Three glasses of wine might not help though

IMHO, if it's going to help you sleep better then write one.  It's not like you have to have her read it unless something were to happen (which it's NOT, cuz it's NOT allowed!!).   

I've had so many surgeries I don't even worry about those things any more, however I do remember getting teary eyed when my kids were 6,5, & 1 and I ended up with emergency surgery.  So, if it's going to get your head on straight, and help you to relax so you can focus on what you need to do for yourself, then go for it.  After all, it's not going to cost you anything other than some paper, a pen, and another couple glasses of wine!  LOL  

Best wishes....you will love your sleeve!

If yours goes like mine you have nothing to worry about. Had more discomfort going to the dentist than this. Pain was minimal and gone in 2 days. I think you will be giving your daughter a great gift with a healthier you. Surgery was over before I knew it and 22 days out I am back to my preop activity level. Hope this helps and let me know if I can help.

The surgery is the easiest part of it all.  You won't die.  It would make them look bad and believe me they don't want that.  I didn't even have that much pain.  I remember the anesthesiologist coming in and telling me he was giving me my medicine.  I was in a waiting room.  I didn't remember another thing until I woke up in my room.  Then they gave me a thing that looked like a tootsie pop and told me to press it when I hurt.  I had liquid pain meds to take home but I didn't need it after the first day.  I went home on the second day, one over-night.

However, the first week was quite difficult.  I want to say it was hell, but I'm trying to be positive here.  I was weak as I could be, I couldn't drink, swallow, or breathe easily.  Each day did get a bit better.  Unjury Chicken soup, warm decaf tea, and homemade egg custard saved my life.  Plain water,  just couldn't do it.  Everything else tasted awful.  I couldn't meet my fluid goals.  But I was told you have to work up to it.

I lost 18 lbs. the first week, (wow) 10 lbs. the 2nd. and only 14 lbs in the next 9 weeks.  This last month I've only lost 6 lbs.  Its a up and down journey.  I'm not at all happy that the weight loss has slowed down so, but I have lost 43 lbs. now and it sure has made a big difference.

I wouldn't want to have to do it again because the first several weeks were so hard for me.  But  I sure wouldn't want to have to take the weight back either.

 Your human if the nerves on edge.My nut Dr thats what everyone feels. If they did not feel this she would be scare for them. I the last 5 years had 2 ankle scope and cleaned out. had to replace the left ankle, both knees scope eye surgery left should replace,shoild bone sanded, should muscle sowed where it split. thats the big onestere is 5 other surgery that take but 1 hr each Each time i asked the church and people on internet .when they came to get me from the holding room it was like a clam peace came over me. i was 58 when they statred do surgery. I KNOW YOU WILL DO GREAT IN SURGERY. JUST RELAX AND LET THAT PEACE TAKE HOLD. I WILL BE PRAYING FOR YOU

There are Billions of way to die that are more likely than the .1% of VSG surgery.  Its about as likely as having a rabid giraffe foaming at the mouth, biting you and giving you rabies causing your demise. You will be fine. Good luck with your surgery. I cant wait to  have mine. Oh - and stay away from any zoo's just in case

I was also pretty obsessive about reading everything I could and preparing, and I come from a long line of professional worriers. Don't worry about wigging out - I did too. I figure it's like the line from Monty Python, "nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition" - all the things you worry about won't happen, its the things you don't see coming that will get you.
I thought about writing a letter to my husband "just in case" and letting a friend know where I'd hidden it, but never actually did. Do whatever gives you peace of mind. I started to get teary with nerves in the hospital right before surgery, so the anesthesiologist gave me what he called a "happy shot", and that's literally the last thing I remember until I was coming out from under anesthesia.

Careful with the wine - you don't want to be dehydrating your body at this point.

The first days in the hospital post-op were more difficult than I expected. I mean, I knew it was "real surgery", but so many people say they didn't really have much pain. I did, though it was well managed. My surgeon's standard for sleeves is two overnights, and I was really glad to be in a hospital, with a bed that raised and lowered with the press of a button, a continous drip of pain and anti-nausea meds with more available at the press of a button if I needed it, and nurses keeping an eye on my vitals and helping me transition to liquids. Getting in and out of bed to walk the halls was pretty uncomfortable, but it got easier each time, especially once I got the hang of adjusting my bed to an optimal position first. Most of the time in the hospital I had trouble keeping my eyes open long enough to get in the mandatory sipping, walking, and deep breathing. I eventually found that if I got in my first three ounces of liquid per hour a little early, I could sneak in a 20-25 minute nap and still get in my 4th ounce of liquid for the hour.
You might inquire whether you have an option to bring your own liquids for post-surgery. Day one for me was ice chips only, but the following day they started me on "clear bariatric" which meant broth (which I found intolerable until day 3, at which point it magically became heavenly), water, crystal light, and sugar-free jello. I've never been a big consumer of artificial sweeteners, so I thought the crystal light was truly awful. It was tolerable if I diluted it by 50% with water. I have no idea what they did with the jello - it was WAY too strong, and after 10 minutes of brushing my teeth and tongue I was still spitting orange food coloring. My husband checked with the nurses about bringing clear no-sugar-added juices which were on my surgeon's specified post-op diet, and they were fine with that. I was so grateful to be able to drink white grape juice (also diluted) and some other kind of juice. I might have had him bring jello too if I'd had some made, but I didn't, and it was easier to keep track of how many ounces I'd had with juice. I got everything in little 1-oz plastic cups. The nurse would pour me out 4 at a time, which I'd work on getting in over the course of an hour, then the nurse could just count the empties.